In 1586 the advowson of the church was leased to James Smith, yeoman, of Kirkham; and in 1591 it was granted for a period of twenty-one years by the authorities of Christ Church, Oxford, to John Sharpies, of Freckleton.[162]

Within the church are several inscriptions, the oldest and most curious of which is to be seen on a stone forming part of the floor of the vestry, and covering the grave of vicar Clegg:—

Others are in memoriam of Thomas, the son of Sir Thomas Clifton, of Lytham, died 1688, aged 20 years; the Rev. John Threlfall, B.A., for “56 years head-master of Kirkham School,” died 1801, aged 84 years; the Rev. Phipps Gerard Slatter, M.A., “head-master of the Free School,” died 1815, aged 25 years; the Rev. Charles Buck, M.A., for 27 years vicar of the parish, died 1717; the Rev. Humphrey Shuttleworth, vicar of Kirkham, died 1812, aged 76 years; Richard Bradkirk, esq., of Bryning Hall, died 1813, aged 60 years; Henry Rishton Buck, B.A., “lieutenant 33rd Regiment, who fell in battle at Waterloo, June 18, 1815,” aged 27 years; and James Buck, lieutenant 21st Light Dragoons, died January 7, 1815, aged 19 years.

In the church yard there are sundry inscribed stones, which, although little interesting on the score of antiquity, are worthy of mention as marking the burial places of persons of note in the parish at one time; as—James Thistleton of Wrea, the founder of Wrea school, who was interred on the 27th of February, 1693; William Harrison of Kirkham, gent., interred January 12th, 1767, aged 60, who “left an ample fortune to poor relations, and £140 to be vested in land, the yearly income to be distributed in pious books to the poor of Kirkham, Little Eccleston, and Larbrick: may the trustees dispense with integrity and effect the sacred dole”; Edward King, esq., fourth son of the Very Rev. James King, D.D., dean of Raphoe, “formerly bencher of the honourable society of Gray’s inn, and for above twenty years vice-chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster”; the “Rev. Charles Buck of Kirkham, A.M., died 4 Jan. 1808. Aged 54,” also his two sons; the Rev. Robert Loxham, vicar of Poulton, died in 1770, aged 80 years; and John Langton of Kirkham, died in 1762, aged 71 years; also many other members of the same family.

VICARS OF KIRKHAM.
In the Deanery of Amounderness and Archdeaconry of Richmond.
Date of Institution.Name.On whose Presentation.Cause of Vacancy.
1239Dn’s Will de EborDuke of Cornwall
Between 1272 and 1307Simon AlleyConvent of Vale Royal
1354William de Slayteburn
1361William Boulton
1362Phil de Grenhal
Dn’s Roger Dyryng
About 1377Robert de Horneby
1418Dn’s Will Torfet
1420Dn’s John Cotun
1450John Hardie
1452Edmund LaycheConvent of Vale Royal
1512Thomas Smith
1558James Smith
1586James SmithJames Smith
1591James Sharples, B.A.Christ Church, Oxford
1594Nicholas Helme, M.A.John SharplesDeath of J. Sharples
1598Arthur Greenacres, M.A.Cuthbert Sharple
1627John Gerrard, M.A.Christ Church, Oxford
1629Edward Fleetwood, M.A.Exchange withJohn Gerrard
1650John Fisher
1660Richard Clegg, M.A.Christ Church, OxfordDeath of J. Fisher
1720William Dickson, B.A.DittoDeath of R. Clegg
1744Charles Buck, M.A.DittoDeath of W. Dickson
1771Humphrey Shuttleworth, M.A.DittoDeath of C. Buck
1813James Webber, D.D.DittoDeath of H. Shuttleworth
1847George Lodowick Parsons, M.A.DittoDeath of J. Webber
1852Will. Law Hussey, M.A.DittoDeath of G. L. Parsons
1862George Rich. Brown, M.A.DittoDeath of W. L. Hussey
1875Hen. William Mason, M.A.DittoDeath of G. R. Brown

The parish registers furnish us with the subjoined information, which has been arranged in a tabular form:—

1600-16011700-17011800-1801
Baptisms91103106100149139
Marriages201915254045
Burials694410386157112